Salt-grainer.



No, 689,675. 7 Pat'n'ted Dec. 24,1901. A. JOHNSON. 1

SALT GBAINER.

(Application filed m 14, 1901.)

(In Modem 2 Shank-Sheet l.

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No. 689,675. PatentedDee. 24, IQOIQ A. JOHNSON. SALT GBAINER.

(Application flied Jan. 14, 1901.)

(No Model.) 2 She ets-She at 2.

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WITNESSES. INVENTOR a tew Sokxwsou m: mums PETERS o0. PHOTO-LITHDNWASHINGTON, n. c,

UNITED STATES PATENT @FFICE.

ANDREW JonNsoN, or SAGINAW, MICHIGAN.

SALT-GRAINER.

$PECIFICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 689,67 5, datedDecember 24, 1901. Application filed January 14,1901. Serial No. 43,099.(No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Saginaw, W. S., in the county of Saginaw and Stateof Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in SaltGrainers, of which the following isa specification, reference being hadtherein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention has particular reference to improvements in apparatus forcarrying out the so-called grainer process of making salt, whichconsists in evaporating salt brine in large open vats or so-calledgrainers by means of steam heat applied through pipes submerged in thebrine and in which mechanical devices are applied to remove the salt asfast as it is made from the bottom of the vats. It is a well-known factthat salt made by this process is of different quality from that made byother processes and-is much preferred thereto for certain industrialapplications, and it is also well known that the particular constructionof the apparatus bears a direct relation to the quantity and quality ofthe product; and it is the object of my invention to provide improvedapparatus for carrying out this process on a larger and more economicalscale and to obtain a more perfect product than heretofore.

To this end my invention consists in the improved construction,arrangement, and combination of certain parts, forming in part animprovement upon prior Letters Patent, No. 267,085, granted to meNovember 7, 1882, all as more fully hereinafter described, and

shown in the accompanying drawings, in

which- Figure l is a vertical longitudinal section of a grainer providedwith my improvements. Fig. 2 is a plan thereof. Fig. 3 is a perpeetiveview of a portion of the scraper device detached. Fig. 4 is a verticalcross-section showing the collecting device. Fig. 5 is a diagram plan ofthe salt-grainer without the scraper and showing the arrangement of theheating-pipes. Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are details relating to theconstruction of the scrapers. v

A represents one of the grainers of a salt plant. It is of knownconstruction and provided at the head with the usual incline A. It is tobe understood that a number of like grainers are placed side by sidewith suitable passage-ways between them. In these grain ers the saltbrine is evaporated by means of steam circulated through pipes submergedin the brine.

The preferable way in which I heat the brine is by means of a steam-coilB, formed of one continuous pipe coiled in parallelism with the sidesand ends of the grainer to form a connected series of rectangularcourses one within the other and with the ends of the coil extending outthrough the end of the grainer, as shown, for connecting it with thesource of steam. In this way the steam which is admitted into the outercourse circulates positively through every part of the coil anddistributes the heat equally throughout the Whole grainer, which is arequisite condition for obtaining a uniform product. This heating-coilis freely suspended some distance above the bottom of the grainer bymeans of suitable hangers a and cross-bars b, so that the spaceunderneath the coil is entirely un obstructed for the operation of thescrapers. These scrapers consist of blades 0, pivotally secured to armsD, projecting downwardly into the brine from a reciprocatingcarrying-frame E, supported upon the side walls of the grainer. Thisframe E is a'rigid rectangular frame composed of longitudinal bars 0 andintersecting transverse supportingbars d. To the outer ends of thetransverse bars are secured wooden boxes e, in which are journaled thetransverse shafts f, to which small wheels g are rigidly secured, all soarranged as to support the carrier-frame upon the side walls of thegrainer free to travel thereon, suitable track-rails, preferably of hardWood, being provided for the wheels to travel thereon. V

To prevent the carrier-frame from leaving the track, the boxes 6 aremade with downwardly-extending projections e, which are adapted toprevent the frame from leaving the track.

The frame E extends the whole length of strengthened by braces. Theyextend down into the brine between the interstices in the heating-pipes,and the scraper-blades are pivotallysuspended therefrom without quitetouching the bottom of the grainer. To this end each arm is formed ofbar-iron, with a short pin 71. on one side adapted to engage a hinge-eyei, secured to the scraper-blade. The end of the pivot-pin has anupturned lug or feather, and the hinge-eye has a corresponding featherway, all arranged as shown in detail in Figs. 6 and 7. By thisconstruction the blades may be easily removed or attached withoutdisturbing the arms, while at the same time they cannot move laterallyor become accidentally unhinged.

The scrapers are spaced longitudinally at intervals apart, the distancebetween them being less than the length of travel of the carrying-frame,and preferably instead of having one scraper reaching across the wholewidth it is made up of several sections, each carried by two arms, thesections where admissible being also placed slightly out of line witheach other, as shown in one instance in Fig The two scrapers whichoperate in the spaces beneath the ends of the heating-coil are securedto the arms D D which at their lower ends are formed with horizontalextensions of a length to extend beneath the ends of the coil. As shownin Fig. 8, the

scraper-blade is secured to both arms D D in the same mannercorrespondingly to the other scrapers, whereas the horizontal extensionsof the arms are in opposite directions, as shown by the full and dottedlines.

The carrying-frame is reciprocatingly operated by means of two pitmen Pof considerable length and operating in vertical planes above thecarrying frame. To this end a drive-shaft F, to which the power isconveyed, is mounted upon a suitable supporting-frame above the grainer.From this drive-shaft a slow continuous motion is conveyed throughintermediate gearing to the crank-shaft G, which has cranks Hzit-opposite ends, to which the pitmen are connected. As shown, thepitmen are respectively connected to two posts R upon opposite sides ofthe longitudinal center of the carrying-frame, and any tendency tolateral vibration or jarring motion is thereby avoided. It will be seenthat as the carryingframe reciprocates back and forth,the scraper bladesbeing held rigid in position in the forward motion by portions ofthearms extending beneath the pivots they will scrape the accumulated salton the bottom of the grainers toward the head by successive steps anddeposit it upon the outer end of the inclined head A. In moving backwardthe scraper-blades swing on the pivots. In front of the incline A is atrough I, which extends in front of all the grainers, and as thequantity of salt deposited by the scrapers upon the top of the inclineincreases it will be pushed farther out and fall into the trough afterhavinghad time to drain.

The salt deposited in the trough is collected for further treatment by aseries of swinging scrapers J, which carry the salt along the trough toa place of deposit. Each scraperJ consists of a pair of hangers 7o,pivotally suspended fr'om overhead and carrying at its lower end ascraper-blade Z, pivotally secured to the lower end of the hangers inthe same manner as described for the scrapers C. The seraper-bladeslswing perfectly free of the sides and bottom of the trough, and aconstant swinging motion is imparted to them in any suitable manner tocause the salt in the trough to be scraped along toward one end. Asshown in the drawings, this motion is transmitted from the drive-shaftthrough a shaft m, having a erank-and-pitman connection with one pair ofhangers, the hangers being connected together to swing in unison by.

theconnecting-barn. Thcswingingscrapers J, as will be seen, can bereversed, so that, if desired, the salt may be conveyed to the other endof the trough.

' My improved apparatus is adapted to carry out the so-called grainerprocess of making salt on a much larger and more economical scale thanheretofore. Thus the size of the grainers admissible with myconstruction may be from one hundred and fifty to two hundred feet longand ten to fifteen feet wide. In devising my scraper it must beunderstood that its construction involves the consideration of manydifferent factors aside from the mere mechanical problem involved, forthe reason that its operation has a decided bearing on the quantity andquality of the output, as in addition to acting as a mere scraperit hasthe function of an agitator, and the manner in which the brine isagitated is of the greatest importance in getting the quantity andquality desired. The complete elimination of certain impurities from thebrine must also not be interfered with by the operation of the scrapers,as these impurities must be allowed to incrustate on the heating-pipesand be separately removed from time to time. Consequently provision hasto be made for this operation. All jarring, vibrating, or scrapingmotion of the parts of the scraper in contact with other parts, as wellas all wear of parts tending to destroy a perfect adjustment, musttherefore be avoided. Likewise there should be no parts needing lubrication where the danger exists of contaminating the brine therewith.These and other considerations known to the practical saltmaker as aresult of long experience with this class of apparatus have guided me inthe construction of myimproved salt-grainer, and the apparatus will befound to make the highest grade of salt in a most economical manner.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. The combination with a grainer ofrectangular shape, of a heating-c0il suspended therein above the bottomthereof and consisting of a continuous pipe coiled within the grainer inparallelism with the sides and ends into a connected series of likerectangular courses, one within the other, the transverse portions ofsaid courses adjacent to the ends of the grainer and the longitudinalportions extending between said transverse portions and forming openspaces between them, and a reciprocating scraper of corresponding lengthwith the heating-coil and comprising a frame supported free to travelupon the side walls of the grainer and provided with depending armsextending downwardly through the openspaces in the heating-coils belowthe same and carrying scraper-blades pivotally suspended from the armsin the space below the coil, the arms adjacent to the ends of the coilformed with extensions adapted to project beneath the transverseportions of the coil and having the scraper-blades pivotally secured tothe ends of said extensions, substantially as described.

2. The combination with the grainer and.

' low the same, braces connecting said arms at a point above the coilwith the frame in line with the travel and scraper-blades pivotallysuspended from the arms in the space below the coil, said arms extendingbelow their pivotal connection with said blades to form stops to preventthe movement of said plates in the forward movement of thescraper-frame.

3. The combination with the grainerA having the inclined head A, of theheating-coil B within the grainer formed with a connected series ofrectangular courses, one within theother, and suspended above the bottomof the grainer, substantially as described to form an open andunobstructed space beneath the heating-pipes from end to end of thegrainer, a reciprocating carrying frame supported upon the sides of thegrainer andhaving a section E at the head of the grainer hinged thereto,arms secured to the carrying-frame and extending downwardlyinto thebrine between the open interstices in the heating-coil and scraperspivotally secured to the ends of said arms and extending transversely inthe space below the heating-pipes, the arms D D carrying the scrapersadjacent to the ends of the heating-coil, having bends extendingoutwardly toward the ends of the grainer below the heating-coil.

4:. The combination with the grainer A having the inclined head A, ofthe heating-coil Y B formed with a connected series of rectangularcourses, one within the other and suspended above the bottom of thegrainer, to

form an unobstructed space in the bottom of the grainer, beneath thecoil extending from end to end of the grainersnbstantially as described,the reciprocating carrying-frame supported upon the side walls of thegrainers and composed of the sections E E hinged together, of the arms DD D secured to the carrying-frame and extending downwardly below theheating-coil in the interstices therein, the arms D D havinghorizontally-extending lower ends and the scrapers O hinged to said armsand extending transversely in sections in the space below theheating-coil, said arms extending below the pivotal connection with thescrapers and having hingepins it formed with the lugs h.

5. The combination with the grainer and the heating-coil suspended abovethe bottom thereof, of a reciprocating scraper device composed of aframe supported upon the sides of the grainer free to travel, armssecured to said frame and projecting downwardly through the heating-coilinto the space below, and scraper-blades pivotally secured to said armsand extending transversely the grainer and wholly within the space belowthe coil, the arms carrying the scraper-blades adjacent to the ends ofthe coil provided with bends extending in the direction of the travel ofthe scraper below the coil, respectively, in opposite directions at thetwo ends whereby said arms are adapted to project the scraper-bladescarried at the ends of said bends alternately beneath the end portionsof the coil in the travel of the frame.

6. In an apparatus for making salt, the combination of the grainer Ahaving the incline A at the head of the grainer, the heating-coil Bsuspended in said grainer, the reciprocating carrying frame E having thehinged section E, arms D D D secured to said carrying-frame andextending through the interstices in the heating-coil in the spacebeneath the same, the scraper O hinged to the lower ends of said armsand extending transversely of the grainer in the space beneath theheating-coil, the trough I at the end of the incline A transverselythereof, said end extending beyond the travel of the carrying-frame andits scrapers, a series of scrapers pivotally secured topendulouslysuspended hangers free to swing in said trough, and mechanismfor actuating said scrapers, comprising the drive-shaft F andcrank-shaft gtransversely mounted above the grainer and having actuatingconnection conveying motion from the drive-shaft to the hangers.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ANDREW JOHNSON. Witnesses:

Orr'ro F. BARTHEL, JOSEPH A. NoELKE.

